


Donum ab Astris

by PhoenixxWispp



Series: Let The Star Guide The Angel [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back
Genre: Canon Compliant, Developing Relationship, Dinner, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, May The Fourth Be With You, Post Lah'mu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-28 03:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10823133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixxWispp/pseuds/PhoenixxWispp
Summary: “Welcome, general.” Galen turned around and offered Veers a soft smile and he pointed to the humble table in his cozy quarters that wasn’t quite ample for two.“Thank you, Dr. Erso.” Veers returned the smile and headed for the small table, already decorated and littered with two glasses of wine and the blueprints for one version of a slightly upgraded AT-AT design. Veers leaned over to run his gaze over the plans scrawled messily on the sheets of paper.





	Donum ab Astris

**Author's Note:**

  * For [th3rm0pyl43](https://archiveofourown.org/users/th3rm0pyl43/gifts).



> Just a short little fic for the lovely th3rm0pyl43! Here's that Iron x Kyber I promised you.
> 
> Donum ab Astris: A Gift from the Stars.
> 
> May the fourth be with you <3

Galen Erso was a marvelous cook.

It wasn’t even the way with spices and herbs he inherited from his mother, nor was it the way with knives he inherited from his father. It was simply his own way with understanding, and standing over the Erso Family Cookbook, it was simplistic what went where and which spices and cuts to use. 

He was still laboring over his creation when his door hissed open and General Veers stood tall, still clutching the keycard Galen entrusted him with when he invited him over for dinner and wine and an overview of the new AT-AT designs. General Veers had accepted with a smirk and a slight bow, his hazel eyes flashing warmly. 

“Welcome, general.” Galen turned around and offered Veers a soft smile and he pointed to the humble table in his cozy quarters that wasn’t quite ample for two. 

“Thank you, Dr. Erso.” Veers returned the smile and headed for the small table, already decorated and littered with two glasses of wine and the blueprints for one version of a slightly upgraded AT-AT design. Veers leaned over to run his gaze over the plans scrawled messily on the sheets of paper. Veers narrowed his eyes in an attempt to understand the information he was seeing.

It was about then that the main course was completed and Galen set the pan down, drawing two plates. It was a matter of minutes before Galen was treading back to the table a few meters away, and he them down on the few spots not covered with paper. Veers flashed him another smile and took a seat, drawing up the blueprint that looked the most complete. With a hasty chuckle, Galen gathered the rest in a pile and set it on the floor for later use. 

“My apologies, today was rather busy and I haven’t quite had the time to clean up,” Galen murmured softly. He was strangely excited and even giddy with an emotion he couldn’t quite put a finger on. He looked up from the big juicy nerf steak with a side of green beans to eye Veers’ reaction. He watched, his trained eyes missing nothing, as Veers studied the blueprints.

He could tell exactly when Veers went over an unintelligible spot in his writing. Veers’ squint revealed as much. He could tell when Veers approved of something. His smile was bright and warm. But Galen could not read General Veers.

After all, reading a cookbook and a man were two separate things. Yet reading people like Orson Krennic seemed to be easy. 

Perhaps it was that precise reason that Galen felt his chest start to ease up for the first time since Lah’mu. It was an enigma for the scientist to solve, and he always cherished a challenge. He didn’t fear the unknown. 

Galen was jerked back into reality from the depths of his mind when Veers set the blueprints down with an expression Galen didn’t recognize. 

“Is it not good?” Galen questioned softly, unable to tell the exact emotion emanating from the general. It could be closest described as confusion.

“It is miraculous.” 

The confirmation sent warmth up Galen’s spine for reasons he couldn’t understand. Not yet, anyways. Galen smiled silkily and looked down at his portion of steak, raising his knife to cut into the meticulously done meal. He didn’t see the smile Veers returned him as the general dug into his meal as well. 

“As is the food,” Veers said, moments later. Galen raised his gaze to see Veers taking his cap off to reveal his light brown locks turned almost sandy in what must have been missions in bright sunlight even through the helmet’s protection. 

“You think so?” Galen chuckled lightly. “Just a simple meal with some inexpensive wine. Nothing much to boast of.” 

“Not in the slightest. You cook wonderfully.” 

Galen turned a slight shade of pink and stabs at his green beans almost vengefully. He prefers the steak anyways. 

Attention has always been Galen’s undoing. Born in the simple farms of Grange, it was no surprise he was jostled aside during his Futures Program days. Not quite backwater but not core either, Galen Erso, the genius polymath boy from the Expansion Region was hopelessly unable to make friends. Orson Krennic was one, but it came as no surprise he didn’t turn out to be a friend. 

And so he had a greater fear of attention than even failure, and under Veers’ tender smile, he couldn’t fight back an awkward grin more suited to a boy than the man he was today. He stared back at the steak and cut another slice of it and promptly ate it, savoring the flavors. 

“Thank you,” Galen finally replied when he was able to speak steadily again, and he forced himself to meet Veers’ eyes. "What can I say? This is my design."

“It’s very true.” One thing that confused Galen about Veers was the lack of the deceptive undertone Galen so often heard he had become accustomed to hearing it had become a second nature at detecting it. As far as Galen’s attentive ears could tell, there was no ulterior motive in Veers’ voice, nor in his eyes. “About the plans, the stability will be a valuable asset to the design. After all, the top-heavy design of the walkers has bothered me for quite some time.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, in fact.” Veers skimmed over the design one more time and he shook his head with a light chuckle. “This whole upgrade is splendid.” 

The plans were set scrupulously atop the existing pile on the ground and Veers sat up straight, carving at the steak with a certain fervor to his demeanor yet he managed to stay a gentleman as well. Galen was entranced, and perhaps that was the one emotion he could see hidden behind Veers’ eyes.

The rest of dinner was devoured quickly and quietly, for there were no more words to be said. None that had held any relevance to the current agenda, anyways. Veers had a remedy for that, though. 

“Dr. Erso…” he began, raising a napkin to dab at some of the steak littering the sides of his lips. “Would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow?” He chuckles slightly, saying something about not being as good a cook, but Galen barely heard it. 

“Yes, general,” he answers, entirely too quickly for his liking. “Tomorrow around 2230?” 

“I can be there.” 

The two men stood up and Veers dropped to a knee to pick up the different blueprints. When he stood back up, Galen’s nearly blank expression was replaced by a bemused smile on his face. He had invited General Veers for dinner and going over the AT-AT blueprints. He had ended up with a blueprint for something much bigger, much more important. 

A shame that was not today’s agenda. Somethings were just worth waiting for. 

“I shall see you tomorrow, then,” Galen murmured softly, his voice dropping as Veers took a few scant steps forwards. “G-general…”

Veers inched closer and his smile was angelic. Galen returned it and opened his mouth to say a few words of his own praise when Veers leaned the final way in, effectively silencing the scientist. Galen was still as a stone for a few moments before his heart began to pump louder than it had before, taking over to do what the brain could not. Galen leaned in himself and finished the kiss. It was minutes, or perhaps hours before the general pulled away. 

“Yes,” he mused. “I shall see you tomorrow. If you’ll have me, that is.” 

The kindness struck Galen fiercer than any lightning bolt could and he nodded curtly, unable of much else. 

Galen was still standing where Veers left him when the general swiftly exited his quarters, a soft chuckle lingering in his wake.


End file.
